The gods are watching
by L. Byron
Summary: Hector has fallen. Troy will soon follow. But the great goddess Nyx has awoken and is unhappy with this war between mortals. With a war among the gods imminent, it's time for a change. She awakens Hector and visits Troy. The mortals future has now been changed
1. Chapter 1

Author's notes. I am taking a few liberties with Greek mythology.

Nyx POV.

"Who dares to disturb my sleep?" I wonder. It has been eons since the last time I was fully awake and I can sense struggles in the cosmos.

I still remember when the creator gave me and my siblings control over this Solar system. "I wonder if they have also fell in a deep sleep after watching for untold ages the forming and evolution of the sun and the planets, each of us a personification of the different forces of nature.

"Sister"

That voice. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the familiar figure of my sister Gaia. She looked surprised to see me.

"You are awake" she says as she approached me and then hugs me in a tight embrace.

I was touched to see tears in her eyes, and I could feel my own eyes watering.

I try to say something; so many questions and feelings inside my head; how long has it been, what has happened? Where is our brother Tartarus?, but before I utter any word, Gaia says almost pleadingly

"You couldn't have come at a better time…I really need your help"

For a moment she looked ashamed and I decided to give her time to continue

"My…children"

"What?" I couldn't help it "You created new beings?"

She stared into my eyes

"I was lonely…you were asleep and our brother went inside the third planet and has not returned since"

"I supposed" I continued "That your children are the cause of this disturbance that woke me from my slumber"

"They are" she replied as she lowered her head.

"Remember what we were told at the beginning of time..our mission is to watch but never to interfere with the natural process of the universe"

Gaia stared at me with pleading eyes

"And I have done that, but my children have not been obedient…they have fought among themselves for power"

In the next few hours she proceeded to tell me everything

"And these so called Titans are now trying to reclaim their status?" I asked as she finished the story.

"The last war was fought on the third planet, when it was still lifeless, but since then Life appeared and evolved…and a few thousand years ago there appeared intelligent life"

My interest was picked by this. I knew that this would be the final outcome of creation. Life would flourish all across the universe.

She continued

"With a few exceptions, the gods are very immature; acting as capricious children they play with the mortal's lives as if they were their toys. And now that the titans are returning, I fear that the coming war will be disastrous for the humans"

I asked

"Why haven't you done anything about it?"

She replied "I tried, but it was hard for me to take sides in the "family fights". I decided to stand aside and watch, as long as they don't interfere too much with the human's history, but now the war could change all that"

I made a decision.

"Take me to that place you mentioned… Olympus..I want to see them for myself. If anyone asks, tell them I am just a minor goddess…you mentioned there are thousands of minor gods, so I don't think one more will receive too much attention.

It surprised me that Olympus was actually a physical location. As we appeared in a green field, I found myself looking in wonder at the natural world. Earth was so much different from the fiery place that it was on its early stages.

There were many gods, nymphs and other spirits. They seemed surprised to see my sister there

"I rarely come here" she explained to me why they were looking at her oddly.

"Something is happening" she added "I can feel it". I noticed that everyone was going to a big building that was located right in the center of the field

"Gaia, is that you?" I heard a female voice. As I turned, I saw two goddesses approaching us. One of them had dark brown hair and was dressed as a warrior. The other was black haired like me and a silvery light seemed to surround her. I saw Gaia smile as she recognized them.

"Athena, Selene always a pleasure"

They both bowed their heads in respect

"It's a surprise to see you here" Athena said.

I decided to stay silent and listen to their conversation.

"What is happening?" Gaia asked.

The one called Selene answered "Zeus has called for a meeting…apparently Cronus and Rhea are coming to "talk"…This may be the beginning of war"

Athena added "I am ashamed of all of them"

I noticed the curious looks both of them gave me as they noticed my presence.

"Athena, Selene, allow me to introduce to you my new pupil…this young goddess has been interested to learn wisdom from me…just as both of you did a long time ago. Her name is Nyx"

I almost smiled as being referred to as "young"

"Is so great to see a titan and an Olympian being friends" Gaia said. "I wish the rest of our family could learn from your example"

The one called Selene replied. I noticed that her eyes were a little red, as if she had been crying.

"Titans, Olympians..they have no sense of honour…not one of them deserves the prayers of the mortals"

She closed her eyes as if remembering something

"The gods consider human as weak and pathetic..Mere toys, yet I have watched them and many of them posses a sense of loyalty and honour that I haven't seen in any god"

I decided to ask

"You have been watching the mortals?"

Gaia answered.

"Of all the gods, only the three of us actually care of what happens in the mortal world"

She turned to look at Athena and asked.

"Anything new? What was Achilles decision? Will he go to Troy?"


	2. Chapter 2

Nyx's pov

The meetings of the gods didn't go as planned. Both Hera and Rhea really wanted to make peace, but their husbands wanted nothing but absolute dominion. For almost six months we listened to both them arguing with each other, and today it was no different. At least I had used that time to get to know who the player of each faction was

"We are wasting our time here" I heard Gaia as we watched both Zeus and Cronus being held by other Olympian and titans, as they tried to attack each other.

"Well, at least they still hadn't declared war yet…perhas they had learned a little patience from the last time" Selene added

"I have a proposition" Athena stared at both of us "It has been months since our last glimpse to the mortal world, and I really want to see what has happened in Troy"

I smiled at her; she and Selene already knew my secret identity

"Could you at least tell me the background of the events we are going to see?"

It was Selene who answered

"Patience, Nyx. In Athena's temple there is a magic well that allow us to watch the events as they unfold, but they can also show us the past. Watch with your own eyes what has happened"

As we headed to Athenas's temple, I heard footsteps behind us

"May we join you?"

I turned and was surprised to see both Hera and Rhea approaching us; I noticed that both of them seemed really angry.

"Marital problems?" I heard Gaia asking with a little sarcasm

Hera sighed and answered "Those two are tickheads… I still wonder why I married that cheating bastard

Rhea added "Like father like son". She stared at each of us and added

"We really need a moment of relaxation, to clear our heads from all the scheming and fighting….I know you three have been watching the affairs of the mortal world…we titans were imprisoned in the underworld before humanity appeared, and I am a little curious to see their world"

I saw Gaia smiling at her, and then she stared at Hera

"What about you? I know you have never paid attention to the mortals, unless Zeus cheated on you with one of them"

Hera sighed again and added "whatever can distract my mind from the current affairs will be well received"

Athena guided us inside her temple to the well that was located in the main hall. Once each of us sat around it, she proceeded to explain.

"The wall will show us what has happened previously, so those of you who are not familiar with the events will understand it"

I must confess that what we witnessed affected me greatly. When I looked up I saw tears in the other faces.

The words Achilles whispered to Briseis were a revelation to us all.

"I'll tell you a secret, something they don't teach you in your temple. The gods envy us. They envy us because we're mortal, because any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now, and we will never be here again."

I could tell that the love Hector professed to his wife and child, and how faithful he was to them had earned him the respect of all of us, especially Hera and Rhea

The last image we saw, was when Achilles was heading to Troy to avenge his cousins.

Athena, worry in her face, commanded

"Show us what is happening right now"

Before any image appeared, we heard the voice of Achilles.

"HECTOR"

Hector POV.

I knew what was coming. I Kneeled in front of my beloved father, knowing that this was probably the last time I would ever see him.

"Forgive me father.."

The five goddesses watched as the prince of troy went to meet his fate.

"We have to stop this. Hector can't fight Achilles. He'll be killed and Troy will be left without a leader capable of defending it!"

The other goddesses were surprised to hear Hera's words.

"It also pains me to see this" Gaia said "But you know that no god has ever interfered in the course of human history".

Both warriors fought with great skill, but eventually Achilles delivers the killing blow. The immortals, who have never felt grief over the death of a loved one, watch as his family suffers.

"What is he doing?" Athena exclaims with indignation as Achilles ties as rope to the fallen prince legs and then drags the body in front of Troy's walls towards the Greek camp. Priam's grief fills the mirror.

"I..I can't watch this anymore" Hera said suddenly as she rose up from his chair and disappeared in a bright light.

The rest continued watching the rest of the events. It surprised them as Priam himself went to beg Achilles for his son's body.

Later, as fire enveloped his body, the goddesses noticed something strange amidst the fire.

"T..the body…it's gone"

Just then, a brilliant light appeared in the Hall and when it faded they saw Hera standing there, holding something in her hand.

"I need all your help..Quickly"

Hector's pov

"So this is death" I Thought as I was still conscious. It was strange not to have a body, no pain...I felt weightless. I could see nothing in this darkness but a distant light, and I felt an impulse to move into the light. As I drew closer, I could feel warm and Love emanating from that Light. I felt as If I was actually returning home or waking after a long sleep, but as I was getting nearer the light, I felt another force pulling me back.

I heard voices

"You should not play with life and death" it was woman's voice.

The pain returned as my spirit entered my body.

"He is waking up" I head another voice, different from the first.

I tried opening my eyes but had to shut them as I was blinded by the light. i tried opening them again, more slowly this time. I was a little frustrated as my vision was blurry at first, but as it adjusted, my eyes focused on the smiling face of a young woman, but there was something strange with what I saw. The size of that face was gigantic.

I closed my eyes again, but when I opened them again the gigantic face was still there.

"Welcome Prince hector" she spoke with a fair voice.

"Is this some sort of a..dream?" I asked, still unsure. My body and the pain felt very real. I tried to stand up, but I still felt very weak and tired.

"rest, prince…you still need time to heal" I heard another voice, but didn't see who it was as I closed my eyes

"This must be dream" was his last thought as he fell into a deep sleep


	3. Chapter 3

Nyx POV.

For a few seconds I watched the Trojan prince sleep. I never thought humans and their world would be like this, so different from everything I have seen since the beginning of time.

I know we are not supposed to interfere with the course of their history, or their own free will would be compromised, but I felt a strong urge to help them.

My thoughts were interrupted by Selene.

"We must stop that madness" I saw in her face a determined look. "Trojans and Greeks fighting each other, they will not be ready if the gods go to war"

I knew she was right, even if it wasn't the god's intention to harm humans, the powers unleashed would be so great that the earth itself would shake, volcanoes would erupt. Gaia had already told me how the last war was fought eons ago and it was terrible.

Gaia asked

"What do you have in mind, Selene?"

The moon goddess elaborated.

"The Trojans and Greeks worship us. We are their gods, and they will listen to what we say"

I stared at Gaia

"Selene is not that simple", but I was interrupted by Hera

"Why not?" she looked tenderly at Hector and then added

"My…faithful and loyal husband interacts with them all the time. Many gods follow his example"

I replied "This is different…one thing is the occasional god or goddess playing with a mortal…that's an entirely different matter than what you propose. That would be a great interference in their history"

I stared at Gaia and said

"This is something you should have to told them long ago…sister"

"S…sister?" I heard Rhea's voice.

"I will explain later" I said to both Rhea and Hera, who stared at me with wide eyes

Gaia smiled at me "Perhaps I should have, but you are forgetting that we were also given free will"

She stared at Selene and said "I think it's a great idea. In fact we should bring a couple of their representatives to Olympus…to talk with the gods and see if their words can convince them not to go to war"

She looked at me and added

"I believe that real interference would be to force them to live their lives and built their civilization to our desires, as if we were their kings and rulers.. We would not be doing that"

I listened to her, thinking of all the possible solutions, but I couldn't find any.

After a few Hours, Both Hera and Rhea left. Selene and Athena were looking at the magic well to see what was happening in the human world.

I was lost in my own thoughts when suddenly I heard Gaia

"Look, he is waking up"

He slowly opened his eyes. At first he seemed a little confused as he took a look around, as if wondering where he was; but then he saw Gaia and his face was filled with fear and shock.

"Greetings, Prince of Troy" she said and smiled kindly at him.

Just then he noticed me

Hector Pov

"Am I going mad?" I wondered for a moment and then recalled the strange dream, but apparently I wasn't a dream at all.

Despite the situation, I tried to keep my cool and find out what was happening. The fight with Achilles, dying, the light I saw, and being pulled back, all those memories came back to me.

"Where am I?" I asked trying to sound as calm as possible, but I know the tone of my voice betrayed me.

"There is no reason to be afraid" One of the "giants" said. I was surprised by the fairness of her voice. She appeared to be no older than 20, with long light brown hair and dressed in green clothing. Her companion seemed to be of the same age, with long black hair and a very pale face. Her clothes were as black as her hair.

It was her who answered my question

"You are in Olympus..I wish we could appear to you at your size, but unfortunately the gods have to be in their true form here…I hope our appearance is not disturbing to you"

"Olympus…gods" I repeated, still trying to process the information. I was never a religious person like my father. And I never gave the gods much of a thought as I was mostly concerned with the well beings of my people. The gods, if they existed at all, were distant beings that had nothing to do with our day to day reality…But now I found myself in their presence.

I was unsure on how to act, and apparently it showed on my face for the one closest to me said in a reassuring tone

"Relax, young one"

Just then I heard loud footsteps and my eyes widened as I saw two other goddesses entering the room. The first to enter had dark brown hair and was dressed as a warrior. I was never good at religion, but if my memory does not fail me, I think she was the goddess Athena. The sculptures I have seen of her were very similar; however her real appearance was much younger. She didn't look older than 16. The other goddess had black hair; a silvery light seemed to surround her and her appearance was a little older than Athena.

Both of them seemed happy to see me awake,

"Prince Hector..it's an honour" the warrior goddess said. "I have been watching you for a long time and I know you never paid to much attention to the gods".

My expression must have shown something funny, for the goddess giggled

"That is not a bad thing, prince" she looked at her companions and then back at me and added.

"We need your help, Hector"

She was interrupted by black haired one

"Athena, where are you manners?…we still haven't introduced ourselves to him"


	4. Chapter 4

Hector's POV

"How could they need my help?" I wondered right after they told me their names. Here I am talking with one of the oldest gods, Gaia, and also the goddesses of wisdom and the moon. The other Goddess, Nyx. I don't recall ever hearing about her, but it surprised me to hear that she was Gaia's sister. She told me she was the goddess of the night.

"I am just a mortal" I said, looking at them all "What help could I offer to the immortals?"

They all stared at each other, worry in their faces. It was Nyx who answered my question.

"A war in the heavens may be coming…the titans that were imprisoned in the underworld have broken free"

I was stunned by this revelation.

"T..I always thought that was a myth"

I saw Gaia smiling sadly

"I wish it was, young one" she said

"A war in the heavens" I thought. I knew that the powers involved in such a war could cause great destruction.

Nyx continued "The Greeks and the Trojan must plead their case to the gods. Not just for your people, but for all humanity, as such a war would have global effects"

"My lady.. we are at war with the Greeks"

The goddess looked at me with sympathy.

"We are going to put an end to that war…You will be sent back to troy in order to talk with your father" she stared at Athena and Selene and added "Selene, as well as I will go with you. Gaia and Athena will "convince" Agamemnon and the Greeks to stop the war"

I was speechless for a moment. Even thought I was happy that the war would be stopped, the news of another war, one which would be more dangerous than any I have ever fought, greatly worried me.

Nyx POV.

Hector face was really serious now. He seemed to be in deep thought, as if considering our words. Then his expression changed to one of deep commitment

"We must act as soon as possible".

I smiled at him "I agree" then I put my hand on the table where he was standing, motioning him to step on it.

He seemed doubtful for a moment,

"I don't bite" I said and then winked at him. He seemed to relax and then stepped into my hand.

Priam was alone in the temple praying to Apollo; Sadness still evident on his face for the loss of his son. As his eyes were closed, he didn't notice when a bright light appeared behind him. Only when a fair female voice spoke to him, was he distracted from his prayer

"You are praying to the wrong god… Apollo does not care about human affairs"

When the old king turned, a little angry for the blasphemy, his eyes widened and the anger vanished immediately.

"H..Hector?"

"Am I seeing ghosts?" he wondered briefly, but before he could react, Hector grabbed him in a tight embrace. This was no ghost.

Tears on his eyes, he took his son face in his hands, as if afraid that he would disappear.

"H..how is this possible?"

Just then he noticed the two young "women" that were smiling at him.

"You were right father" Hector said "Sometimes the gods do watch over us"

Priam went to his knees, "The gods have brought my son back to me" but Selene grabbed him gently by the shoulders and made him stand up

"Rise king of Troy, an honourable man like you should bow to no one"

Hector approached them and said to Nyx.

"Is good to see you at normal size" then he stared at his father and added.

"Father, there is something that must be discussed urgently.. We need to call the Trojan council"

One hour later, both goddesses watched with tenderness the reunion of wife and husband, as Hector Andromache embraced each other in silence.

Meanwhile on the Greek camp, the kings were discussing the course of action.

"Are you sure the horse will work" Agamemnon asked

Odysseus was about to reply but then they were all blinded by a bright light


	5. Chapter 5

A deep silence filled Agamemnon's tent as the light faded and two imposing figures stood there. Of those presents only Achilles had seen gods before, although he didn't know the identity of these two, as he had only met Mars and Apollo.

The one dressed as a warrior was the first to speak.

"Kings of the Hellenes, there are grave matters you need to know"

A growing fear filled the room as both goddesses delivered the news.

"You need to be ready" Gaia said "The war could start any moment and you all know mount Olympus is located in your country"

Athena then added

"You must choose who will represent the Greeks…The goddesses of the moon and the night are at this very moment talking with the Trojans"

Of those presents, only Agamemnon seemed angry by this. All the other kings wanted to return to their homes, but their fear of the most powerful ruler in Greece forced them to stay. However the situation had changed as it were the gods themselves who were ordering to stop the war and return to their homes. They knew that not even Agamemnon would dare to defy them.

"Curse the gods" Agamemnon thought as he knew victory was so close; however he was also a practical leader and a good tactician, and he knew this was a moment to retire and wait for a better chance. He also knew that all the things he had accomplished were now at risk if a war of in the heavens broke.

"Prepare to depart in the morning" he ordered his men

Finally the names of Odysseus and Achilles were mentioned in the meeting.

Athena smiled at those presents and said while approaching Odysseus

"You have made a wise choice" She said to all the gathered kings then stared directly at the king of Ithaca and added

"I have been watching you for a long time, Odysseus. You value wisdom over brute force and I admire that" The wise king simply bowed his head. Like Hector, Odysseus was a man that doubted the god's existence, but if they were real, he had always felt closer to the goddess of wisdom, or at least to the idea she represented

Gaia approached them and said to Achilles "Come, brave Achilles"

The lord of the myrmidons took a quick look at Agamemnon and smirked at him before joining them.

"Remember our words" Gaia said before disappearing in a bright light.

"What the?" was all Odysseus could say as he found himself looking directly at his "enemies".

"We are inside Troy" he thought. His first impulse was to grab his sword but restrained himself as he knew it was pointless.

Achilles froze as his gaze fell upon Hector, whose expression was unreadable. Briseis was also there

The tension could be felt in the atmosphere and Gaia decided to break the ice

"The Greeks will be leaving in the morning" she said and then nodded to both Greeks. "The king of Ithaca and the lord of the Myrmidons have been selected to represent their people"

Priam approached them and bowed his head in respect to the goddesses

"My people are grateful that you have put an end to this war. I am honoured to have you as guests in our city"

Then he turned his attention to both Achilles and Odysseus and added

"We both have suffered terrible in this conflict; I can only hope that these difficult times will give way to friendship and understanding between our people"

Odysseus replied "It was one man's ambition that brought us here, king Priam. But I have always respected you…now we are in the face of a common problem"

Priam nodded and then announced that the council decided to delegate prince Hector and himself as Troy's representatives.

Nyx pov.

I was satisfied that our plans were successfully. At one point I was surprised when I saw Achilles and Hector Talking. Achilles seemed truly ashamed, but it comforted me when both men embraced each other as brothers.

From what I have seen so far, the humans behaved with more dignity and honour than my kin. Most of the gods acted as spoiled irresponsible children.

"May I have a word?" I heard a woman's voice in my back. As I turned, I saw Briseis standing there with a timid smile.

I smiled at her, trying to make her feel comfortable "We are among friends, young one. What can I do for you?"

She seemed doubtful for a moment, but after a while she decided to ask.

"I have dedicated part of my life in the service of the gods; I have studied all the stories…yet"

My smile broadened as I knew where this was going.

"You want to know why my name is never mentioned."

She smiled shyly at me

"Well, I never took part in all those events. I fell into a deep sleep Long before the titans or the Olympic gods were created . I was tired of watching over creation with my two siblings".

"Gaia and Tartarus?" the girl asked

"That's right…"

I didn't finish what I was about to say as I felt something in the air. The expression on my face must have frightened the poor girl, for she asked with a worried expression

"Is there something wrong?"

I turned to look at the other goddesses and by their grim faces I knew they also felt it.

Then we heard screams outside the palace and for a moment the night was illuminated as if if the sun had suddenlyappeared.

We all ran to the palace balcony and looked up in the sky. What we witnessed filled the mortals with absolute fright.

"Apollo, Hyperion" I heard Selene say in anger.

Both deities of the sun were fighting in the skies above troy, throwing great balls of fire at each other.

I heard Gaia trying to soothe the fear of the mortals but with little success.

At one point, Apollo blocked one of the titan's blows, but the ball of fire was sent directly at Troy.

People in the streets screamed in panic and began to run in every direction.

Athena's body and armour began to glow and then flew directly at the threat; she extended her spear and then threw her own power in the form of a blue ray, sending the ball of fire into space.

"ENOUGH OF THIS" Athena exclaimed with anger as she stood between both combatants. Both gods stopped their attacks.

"We will continue this another time" Hyperion hissed before disappearing.

"Why did you interfere?" we all heard Apollo's angry voice, But the expression in her face was so threatening that the god restrained himself.

"I will not let you, or any other god harm any innocents in your stupid fights…go back to Olympus"


	6. Chapter 6

"Has the war started?" Paris asked worriedly as they saw Athena coming down.

Everyone present stared at the goddesses.

"No" Gaia answered, although she seemed worried.

"You will know when the war starts" Selene added "That was but a taste of what would happen if hostilities break".

In the Greek camp, Agamemnon, who still had a few doubts about leaving, was now fully convinced of the gravity of the situation.

Priam seemed disappointed to see with his own eyes how little the patron god of his beloved city actually cared about them. He remembered Selene's words when they first met.

"You are praying to the wrong god" she had said.

Odysseus expressed what was on everyone's minds.

"We must leave as soon as we can" he looked at the goddesses and added with some worry.

"It worries me that they will listen…we are nothing to them"

Preparations were made quickly. Priam left Paris in charge of the city. Both Hector and Achilles spent a few moments alone with Andromache and Briseis.

"The gods brought you back to me from death, and now they are taking you away" She embraced him tightly, afraid that she would never see him again.

Hector's strong arms embraced her

"I promise I will return" He looked at his baby son and added.

"Not even the gods will keep me away from you, my love"

One hour later, the four humans along with the four goddesses stood together in the palace's great hall.

Normally Priam would always say "May the gods be with you" but now he wasn't sure what to say to his people", so he just smiled at Paris and said

"Our people has survived countless wars and tribulations…have faith in yourselves"

Then a bright light enveloped them

Hector expected to see the gods in their giant forms, but was surprised to see them in normal size.

"I thought you had to be in your true forms when in Olympus?" he asked.

Selene laughed and explained.

"You are not exactly in Olympus; you are in my kingdom"

That answer only filled the mortals with more questions.

"Let me explain" Athena said. "Mount Olympus is just the entrance to the realm of the gods. The center of that realm is Olympus itself, but it's surrounded by the Elysian Fields. Each of the main gods, with the exception of Hades who governs the underworld, rules a kingdom in the fields…Just as there are many nations in the human realm, the same applies in the immortal lands"

"I f you want to" Gaia smiled and suddenly grew to giant size "we could adopt our true form"

She restrained herself from laughing at the shocked expression of the mortals

She shrank herself to normal size "But I think you will be more comfortable to talk with us at this size"

"You will stay in my palace" Selene said as she pointed to a white building not far from where they stood. Hector felt a little relieved as it was built for normal sized people, not giants.

"Who are your subjects?" Priam asked with curiosity.

Selene answered

"Oh, there are many sorts of creatures on each kingdom. Nymphs, Satyrs, Cyclops, giants, minor gods"

This and other questions were asked by the mortals as they entered the palace. As it was late at night, each one of them was lead to a room"

"Tomorrow is going to be a long day" Gaia said before saying goodbye to each of them. Nyx and Athena followed her example

Hector approached Selene and said

"I am going to take a walk outside…I have so many things on my mind right now, and I think some fresh air will help me clear my thoughts"

Hera remained silent when she opened the door to her chambers and found his husband in bed with a young goddess. Zeus saw her and smiled mockingly at her, but she just closed the door without saying a word.

She did not cry at first as she tried to keep a dignified pose in front of the other gods, who just bowed to her as she passed among them, but she knew they were whispering about her and some even mocking her behind her back. It was not until she left the main temple and went to a desolated spot outside Olympus, on Selene's realm, when she broke down and cried. This time he didn't even have the decency to cheat on her in private. He had taken his new lover to the royal chambers, in front of everyone.

"Bastard" she whispered among broken swords.

"My lady, are you alright?"

The goddess was taken by surprise by the tiny yet gentle voice. She looked down and recognized the Trojan prince standing a few feet from where she was sitting.

Hector debated with himself if he should approach the crying goddess or not, but then made his decision. "Goddess or not, she looks like she is in need of friendly company" he thought before approaching her

Hera brushed the tears out of her face and composed herself before shrinking down to his size.

Hector was truly surprised when she revealed her identity.

"I am in a debt with you" he said as he knew it was her that had brought him back from the dead.

Despite her sadness, Hera smiled sadly and said "It was the least I could do"

Hector said "I am just a mortal, but I can see you are in a terrible pain… is there anything I can do to help you?"

She didn't know why, perhaps it was his honest expression and gentle eyes, something that was rare among the gods, but she told him everything. The constant humiliations and infidelities she received from her husband, how she tried to keep her dignity and act as if nothing was happening, just for the sake of her family and the kingdom. How her husband took her for granted"

When she finished, a tear escaped her eye and she buried her face in her hands

"Your husband may be the king of the gods, but he is a fool"

Hera looked up at him, surprise in her face.

"You are Loyal, kind, with a generous heart and very beautiful. Few gods or mortals can be as lucky as him to have such a wonderful wife and companion… yet he does not value you".

He was taken by surprise when the queen of the gods threw herself at him and cried into his chest.

Fort a moment he didn't know how to react.

"How do you give comfort to a god?" he wondered.

He remembered one time when a young briseis was heartbroken for an unrequited crush she had on a young apollonian. How she had comforted her and told her that it would pass.

For a moment he considered how all the gods he had seen so far looked young, no older than 20, and acted as such.

He decided to act the same way he did to his young cousin. He embraced her in his arms and let her cry, while gently caressing the back of her head".

Nyx watched the whole scene being careful to hide her presence from both of them.

"You are a great man, prince hector" she thought.

When Hera finally calmed down, she looked into his eyes and was surprised to see nothing but kindness and concern for her.

Never in her whole life had someone given her what Hector gave her tonight.

"I envy your wife and your son" she confessed. "I wish I had been born in a family like yours"

Hector added "My lady, you can talk with me whenever you want. If there is anything I can do for you, don't doubt to ask"

For an answer she kissed him on the check and said

"You already have, prince of Troy"

For the first time, Hector saw a genuine smile on her face, and then she disappeared


	7. Chapter 7

Hector said nothing of his encounter when he returned to the mansion. He simply went to his room to get some sleep.

"I wonder what will happen tomorrow" he thought before he fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, Nyx was the first to arrive at the mansion. She found the mortals taking breakfast, while Selene watched them with fascination.

She sat on the table and after a small talk, Odysseus asked.

"My ladies, it's always wise to know what we will be facing… what are the factions of this conflict, who are the key players" He asked a few other questions that were normally asked in any human conflict.

Selene was the first to answer

"The two main antagonists are Zeus and his father Cronus. Both of them desire to rule over all the gods and their realms. With the exception of Gaia, I and a few other gods who remained neutral, all the gods and the other inhabitants of Olympus, the elysian fields and the underworld took sides in the past wars"

She continued.

"Besides Cronus, the main leaders of the titans are: Oceanus, Thetys, Hyperion, Theia, Coeus, Phoebe, Rhea, Temis, Mnemosyne, Cirius and Iapetus. With my exception, all their descendants fallowed them in the last war"

Nyx added

"The principal leaders of the Olympians are Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis, Persephone, Athena, Hephaestus, Ares, Aphrodite and Hermes..Although I must say that Athena was reluctant to participate during the past wars"

"You must know" Selene added "That both Hera and Rhea are tired of their husband's lust for power...this may be something you might use in your favour"

A few hours later, when the mortals were ready, Athena and Gaia appeared and told them.

"A new meeting will take place soon…and this time there will be representatives from all the realms… Gods, giants, nymphs, Satyrs, Cyclops will be there" Gaia said with a worried expression.

"I don't want to sound pessimistic, but the ambient is hostile…both sides want war".

As they were about to leave, Selene warned the mortals

"There is something you need to know first" Selene said "Humans are considered a myth by most of the inhabitants of this realm. Only the major Olympian gods do know of your existence as they have the capacity to travel to between the two realms. The titans also have that capacity, but they were imprisoned long before the appearance of human kind so most of them ignore your existence. Be prepared for any reaction your presence may cause".

The mortals wore cloaked hoods to conceal themselves, so no one paid too much attention to them when they appeared in the entrance of the main temple,

Nyx kneeled to take a better look at them and said

"Stay amidst the nymphs and Satyrs as they are the same size as you, and Wait for us to call you"

When they entered the temple, the reunion had already begun. Ares was making a speech, insulting the titans and their main followers, the giants.

From their hiding spot, the mortals looked at the representatives of each of the "races" that lived in Olympus.

The giants had the same appearance of humans but were even taller than the gods. Nymphs and Satyrs were normal sized. All of them, Giants, Nymphs and Satyrs looked young like the gods, and also possessed a beauty above human measure.

Cyclops seemed to be made out of rock, with their one eye as their most significant characteristic. Not as big as the gods or giants, they still were of an impressive size and appeared tougher. Both Hector and Achilles assumed that Cyclops must be the bulk of the gods' armies, as only they had the appearance of warriors, some of them even wearing armours.

The meeting went on, but it was mostly both sides insulting each other. Priam, who expected something better from the immortals, was truly disappointed to see their behaviour. The Trojan council would never behave in such a childish way, not even when they discussed matters of peace and war with an enemy nation"

"They all act as immature children" Odysseus whispered to his companions

"Children that have the power to destroy humanity" Hector answered, worry evident in the tone of his voice.

"That does not surprise me. If you ask me, we mortals are better left alone without their influence" Achilles added. The lord of the Myrmidon was a man that never respected the gods. Thought he now had a different opinion of those few that had helped them

Their attention was picked when Selene replied to the words of her sister Eos, who had previously claimed for vengeance over their imprisonment

"You speak of entrapment and suffering and yet you hardly know anything about it"

All those presents were surprised by the outburst of Selene, as the titan was known for never taking a part in the discussions

"You do know that there is practically no difference between the Elysian Fields and the underworld. Not one of our kind really suffered in that place. You know nothing about true suffering and pain"

She took a look around and said

"And yet you are all willing to bring suffering to others with your stupid struggle for power"

She stared straight to the spot where the mortals waited and said

"I beg of you to listen to the words of a few brave mortals"

A general gasp was heard as the mortals took of their hoods and revealed themselves. They began to make their way towards the thrones where the Olympians sat

Priam's old appearance only gave him a more dignified look. In the land of eternal youth and immortality, it was a unique sight to see the result of mortality and the passing of time. It made him look wiser than any god.

The battle hardened faces of his three companions only added to their mystery. It was obvious that they came from a harsher and more brutal world and that in their short lives they had experienced more than any god.

When they were directly in front of Zeus throne, Priam went to his knees. The others simply bowed their heads

Although he was truly disappointed, Priam still felt the king of the gods deserved respect.

"Mighty Zeus" he began. "I come here implore you not to start a war that would put in danger all of mankind"

Zeus seemed pleased to see the respect the old king showed, but at that moment a mocking laughter was heard from one of the thrones

"What is the meaning of this?" the god of war said "How dare you bring these pathetic mortals to Olympus" He said to Selene, not even bothering to look at the humans"

It wasn't a god but Achilles who answered with a smug expression

"Pathetic?. The last I remember, you were beaten by my sword"

Achilles was referring to a past event when the god wanted to test the abilities of the mortal champion, and faced him as a warrior, without using his godly powers. The god was stronger than any human, but he didn't have the skills and experience Achilles had and paid dearly his lack of experience in a "real" conflict.

Angered, the god stood from his throne

"Sit down" Athena said angrily "You are not going to do anything to them. If you want to know, I also brought them here…They are my guests as well Selene's and you will respect them, dear brother"

Ares sat down and answered with venom

"Respect them…they are nothing to us"

He turned to look at his father and added

"I still don't understand why you still have these "talks" with the titans…we should be fighting"

Zeus, who was amused by all this, turned his attention to Priam and said

"These matters do not concern you, mortal. You have nothing to do but obey the will of the gods. Your only duty is to worship us, not to question if we should go to war or not"

King of the gods or not, Hector didn't like the way Zeus spoke to his father.

"And what do you offer in return for our obedience and adoration?"

"Hector, calm down" his father tried to interfere, but Hector advanced a few steps

"What have the gods done for my kin?" He turned at stared at each gods and continued

"All I see and hear is this talk of war, but what does any of any know of war or suffering. Have you ever lost a loved one for war or spent sleepless nights worried for the lives of your family and countryman…I dare say most of you know nothing about war and nothing about love"

"Insolent mortal" Zeus spoke with amusement "It's not your place to question the gods"

The voice of Priam surprised his three companions

"My son asked you, king of the gods, a question…what do you offer us in return?"

He left a few seconds to let his words sink

"I have dedicated my life to the gods. I have respected you as I always thought that you watched over us and protected us…I guess I was wrong".

"Listen, old man" the voice of Zeus was now very angry "I don't have to answer any of your questions…Leave Olympus and return to the miserable place you came from"

"And why is that, father?"

Everyone turned to see the goddess of wisdom as she spoke from her throne. She stood up and walked slowly until she stood behind the four mortals.

"What are you doing, Athena?" Zeus asked with dangerously low voice.

"Taking a side" she answered with defiance.

Zeus laughed and many gods fallowed his example

"Taking their side?" he asked and looked around "Has anybody else lost his or her mind?"

Nyx was the first to react. She went to stand besides Athena. Soon Selene and Gaia followed their example

"I AM THE KING OF OLYMPUS" Zeus exclaimed and the sky suddenly turned dark and lightening began

"He is a far better king that you will ever be"

Silence filled the hall as those words were spoken by no other than Hera. She stared down at Priam and smiled

"You are the father I wish I had when I was young".

She stared at both Zeus and Cronus, a defiant look in her face

Priam was speechless at this unexpected turn of events

Zeus stared at each of the "rebel" gods with fury. Athena, selene and the unknown goddess, who he assumed was a young one, hardly worried him. Hera and Gaia were an entirely different matter. He knew Hera was almost his equal in terms of power; and Gaia, who never took a side in all the previous wars, was the oldest and most powerful goddess.

The Titans, who had been silent all this time, spoke in whisperers. Cronus was happy to see the division in the Olympian lines as Athena and Hera left their sides.

"You could learn a few things" his wife surprised him.

Athena turned to face Selene and said

"Take them bath to your mansion. This might get ugly"


	8. Chapter 8

Selene took the four mortals to her temple as fast as she could

"Well, that was awkward" Odysseus pointed with his usual wit "I never expected such a behavior from the immortals"

"I am really sorry you had to witness that" the titan goddess of the moon told them, her face filled with shame.

"You have nothing to be ashamed, my lady" Hector added quickly. "To me you are one of the deities that truly deserve our prayers"

Priam added with a worried expression

"It worries me that our presence may have angered many gods"

Hector put a comforting hand on his father´s shoulder and said reassuringly

"Don´t worry father, I´m sure our presence will be soon forgotten…we are but mere mortals and"

With that he took a quick look at Selene, as if looking for any show of support to his words

"And I am sure the gods have more important things to discuss among themselves"

Selene smiled nervously at him and said nothing. Unknown to them, their mere presence and their words had caused great commotion, not just in the main temple of Olympus, but also in all the different realms, as the meeting was being watched in every local temple of each town by every inhabitant of the Elysium and the underworld. No giant, nymph, satyr, ogre or minor god has ever defied or questioned the main gods. Yet these mortals, creatures many thought were legends and that were believed to be lower than any of them, have done so.

In the main temple, the shouts started as soon as Selene disappeared; Zeus against his own wife, Titans against Olympians, the followers of the different gods among themselves.

Athena approached slowly the center of the temple and used her own powers to activate the magic fountain, which worked the same way to the well in her own temple but bigger.

Everyone stopped shouting once the fountain was activated.

"Athena, what are you doing" Zeus asked, his voice still denoting his anger, more directed to his wife.

"I want to show you all something I have prepared…images of the lives of those four mortals that came as representatives of their kin"

"Do you think we are interested in those pathetic little mortals?" asked, displeasure evident on his face. He turned to look at all his equals looking for support. However, the other gods, even if they didn´t want to admit it, were all curious."

Zeus sat on his throne with a neutral expression, but his eyes betrayed his curiosity.

"Show us" he commanded.

After Athena said a few words, the fountain showed the image of Odysseus holding a small boy in his arms

"You see Telemachus, Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity, and so we ask ourselves will our actions echo across the centuries? Will strangers hear our names long after we're gone and wonder who we were? How bravely we fought? How fiercely we loved?"

The small boy was still too little to understand the cryptic words of his father and just giggled in his arms.

The scene faded and then came the sight of an army in Thessaly.

Three hour later, the last scene showed Odysseus again, writing a letter to his infant child in case he never returned home. He read the final words as he wrote them

"Men rise and fall like the winter wheat, _but these names will never die_. Let them say I lived in the time of Hector, tamer of horses. Let them say I lived in the time of Achilles"

Only silence filled the temple. Even Nyx, Gaia, Hera and Rhea were shocked as they hadn´t seen most of those events back in Athena´s temple.

Hector woke up early and decided to take a walk outside Selene´s temple; there was a trail that went through some woods and he went that way. He walked slowly, admiring the nature of the immortal lands, but soon the serenity in his mind was gone. Years in wars had taught him well, and he knew he was being watched and fallowed. His face didn´t change and he acted as if nothing was happening, not even when he heard some giggles and small chattering


	9. Chapter 9

Athena knew something was not right when she decided to make a little tour throughout her kingdom. Unlike most gods or goddesses, she was loved by her subjects as she often visited them and listened to their needs to help them.

At the entrance of a town of giants, she found a small group of young giants playing "war".

"Shouldn't you be at school?" she asked with a fake serious tone, a smile on her face.

They stopped playing when they recognized her

"Majesty...we were just having some fun and schools is closed today" a blond boy said a little nervous

She laughed with merriment and asked

"Playing war? I remember when I was still young that I played that with my brothers and sisters"

She winked at them and asked

"I assume one of you took my role?"

A brown haired girl smiled broadly and answered "Me Me"

She blushed deeply and added

"I always ask to be you".

Athena listened as they all began shouting which god or goddess they were personifying, but then one name caught her attention

"I am Hector, prince of troy and tamer of horses" a black haired girl said, and then the blond haired boy that spoke first added

"And I'm Achilles, champion of the Greeks"

With that he raised his stick and "Attacked" the black haired girl. Laughing, they sparred a little, while Athena watched them in silence

"Hector…Achilles!"

Her thoughts were interrupted as she the black haired girl asked

"Is it true what they say?"

"What thing? Child"

"That they had fought in thousands of battles…that they fear no one"

Athena smiled again

"Well…."

Meanwhile, Hector continued his walk, making no sign that he knew he was being followed.

He soon came to a clearing and saw a small stream of crystalline waters, not far from where he was.

As he looked around the beautiful scenery, he noticed that he was not alone

"Apparently I am not the only one who likes to wake early" he thought and approached the lord of the myrmidons, who was concentrated practicing his skills in combat.

"To what do I own the pleasure?" Achilles said without looking at him, his eyes fixed on an imaginary foe as he swung a wooden sword with expertise.

"Just walking" Hector replied while admiring his movements

"Do you have a spare sword?" He asked after a while

Achilles stopped his movements and smiled

"I was losing hope you wouldn't come and ask".

He turned to face the prince of troy.

"My things are at the side of that tree" he said while pointing it "You will find a spare sword there"

Both men heard gasps and whisperings but paid no attention to it.

Hector picked up the sword and approached Achilles.

"Are you ready?" Achilles asked, and before the Trojan prince could answer, he charged


End file.
